Is it hard to be a truck driver?

Yes, being a truck driver is hard. While becoming a truck driver is not hard, working as a trucker can be. Many truck drivers must work long hours, spend lots of time away from home, and remain seated for most of their workday.

Most truck drivers spend long hours sitting in one position, which can lead to a host of health problems (e.g., obesity, chronic back pain). Other aspects of trucking that make the job difficult include road congestion, tight scheduling, bad road quality, working overtime, and low pay.

While truck drivers have tons of work opportunities, independence, and flexibility, there are downsides to being a truck driver. For example, truck drivers spend a lot of their time alone. If you like having time to yourself, truck driving is perfect. However, if being alone is not for you or away from your family for an extended period of time, then truck driving may not be for you.

Truck drivers are usually expected to work long hours. In fact, some drivers will rack up around 3000 miles each week on the job, which sometimes requires early mornings and late nights to meet deadlines.

But an upside to this is that many truck drivers get to choose their own schedules. You may clock more hours than someone at a Monday-Friday desk job, but you get to set your own pace, have a degree of financial stability, and get to see new places every day.

Truck driving can also be hard on the body. Truck drivers are more likely to experience higher rates of chronic back pain and diabetes than other professions because of the fact that they are in the same position for so many hours a day (up to 16-hours sometimes).

Therefore, it is important for truck drivers to move around and exercise as much as possible when they are not driving.

The term truck driver, however, covers a wide variety of different jobs with varying degrees of difficulty.

Differences in Difficulty Pay by Trucking Type:

• Flatbed Truck.

  • Requires special knowledge and training to operate (e.g., thorough understanding of how to secure and transport goods).

  • Very high pay rate.

• Dry Van Truck.

  • This does not require additional experience beyond a trucking license. This is rated one of the easiest trucking jobs.

  • Low pay rate.

• Tanker Truck.

  • Requires special knowledge and training to operate, especially regarding safety protocols.

  • Tanker trucks transport liquids, which is one of the most difficult and dangerous things to transport.

  • The most sought-after trucker job in the field.

  • High pay rate.

• Freight Haulers (Refrigerated).